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Easy Listening With Mark

Bridge Training Managing Director Mark Harrod featured on BBC Radio Gloucestershire sharing not only his own life story but also his favourite music.

Interviewed by Warren Moore, Mark told of how he had been ‘late to the party’ when it came to learning at school – just like many of the learners Bridge supports. But he praised the mentors who had encouraged him. And years later he was given the opportunity to set up a learning facility for young people who have not always got on well with education.

He said: “I was a young man, working shifts. My father was running a very small charity for adults with special needs. I came in to sort out the computers for him. I never left. And that was 1993.

“The ethos of Bridge Training Ltd is ingrained – everybody deserves a second, third or fourth chance. Everybody has skills in one way or another but we ask: what stopped them before and how we can help them through.

“It’s not just academic but the way they learn, how they learn. For some people they had been bullied at school or have a chaotic home life. We look at their problems and say ‘let’s see what we can do to make today a good day then we’ll look at tomorrow’.”

Mark was invited to choose his favourite tracks which included David Bowie’s Golden Years and the lesser known artist Gerry Cinnamon.

Mark is proud of the achievements of Bridge Training Ltd and added that his advice to his own children about applying yourself to school work is: “If you do this, this will give you a better standing in what you want to do. Make that choice yours not someone else’s.”